Machine for making the bats for hats.



J. KOLB.

MACHINE FOR MAKING THE BATS FORIHATS. APPLICATION TILED JUNE 22, 1914.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

@JDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTO-LITHO.. wAsHlNGmN. D.C.

J. KOLB.

MACHINE FOR MAKING THE BATS FOR HATS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1914.

UU Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

= 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"HE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHDTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D. C.

J. KOLB.

MACHINE FOR MAKING THE BATS FOR HATS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1914.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 J. KOLB. MACHINE FOR MAKING THE BATS FOR HATS.AIPPLIOATION FILED JUNE 22, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

WQMM a a {-URRIS PETERS 60.. PHDTO-LITHOQ WASHING TON, D. C.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

JOSEF KOLB, OF NEUTITSCHEIN, AUSTRIA-I-IUNGARY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

MACHINE FOR MAKING THE BATS FOR- HATS.

Patented Feb. a, rare.

Application filed June 22, 1914. Serial No. 846,464.

T auto/1.0m it may concern Be it known that I, Josnr KoLB, manufacturensubject of the Emperor of Austria- Hungary, residing at KaiswrJosefstra-sse,

Neutitschein, Moravia Austria I'lungary,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Makingthe Bats for Hats, of which the following is a specification.

1c The present invention relates to a novel machine for making bats forhats whereby the rate of output of such machines is very largelyincreased.

A machine constructed according to my invention comprises means wherebythe machine works continuously. In the preferred form of my inventionthis result is attained by providing the machine with two or more batfori'ning chambers supplied by a feed device common to them both andalso with operating mechanism arranged between the feed device and thebat chambers, this mechanism regulating the access of the material to beformed into bats to the bat chambers in such a manner that it ispossible to form the bats in a continuous operation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in which:Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the machine. Fig. 2 is a sectionshowing the construction of a bat forming chamber. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section on the line lll1ll in Fig. 1'. Fig. 4 is a horizontalsection of the bat forming chamber on the line IVTV in Fig. (i. Fig- 5is a cross section of the bat chambers on the line VV in Fig. 3. Fig. 6is a side elevation of the bat chzunbers with the whole of the operatingand adjusting mechanism of the machine for positively actuating itsauxiliary mechanisms. Fig. 7 is an elevation of the machine, and Fig. 8is a section of a detail of the spraying device in section.

Its shown in Fig. l the front portion of the machine consists of ahopper device a into which the fibrous material (hair, etc.) to beformed into bats is placed and of a special distributing device I) forthe material supplied to the machine which distrib utes it uniformlyonto appropriate conveyor devices 0.- Behind the conveyer device thesuction or atomizing chamber (Z usual in such machines, is arranged; inthis chamber the hair supplied by the conveyor device 0 is broken upinto a cloud of hairs.

In accordance with the invention, two or more bat forming chambers f, fare fitted to the chamber (5; their charging is regulated by mechanism.9 (Figs. 1, and 3) in a manner hereinafter explained. In each of thebat chambers a bat former t, 2?, and a spraying device 11, i arearranged. The bat chambers are connected with an eXhausting conduit 6 ina known manner and for the known purpose.

The charging device for the machine consists of a simple charging hoppera. The distributing device Z2 consists of two drawing rollers 1, 2arranged below the charging hopper a beneath which a quickly runningdistributing roller 3 (a picker roller) of very short compactconstruction revolves (see Figs. 1 and 3). By this distributing roller,the fibrous material is thrown off into the distributing box I) whichflares out sharply in the lateral direction, whereby tufts of fibrousmaterial are broken up and distributed. Owing to the conically flaredform of the distributing box 7), the breaking up and distribution of thefibrous material are rendered exceedingly uniform. This form ofdistributing box also permits of the employment of a distributing rollerof very short compact construction, so that it can be run at very highspeeds without producing any harmful self-oscillation. The air currentsproduced by the quick rotation of the distril'uiting roller 3, aredamped by the conically flared form of the distributing boX and thesieve-like damping surface 4 (Fig. 1) built into it. In the devicedescribed,the fibrous material is deposited in a thoroughly uniformfinely divided condition on the delivery apron 5, which moves downwardcarrying the material on to the conveyer apron 0 which conducts thedistributed fibrous material to the atomizing chamber 03. In front ofthis chamber drawing rollers 8, 9 are provided in the known manner toconduct the fibrous material in a manner known per 86 to a seconddistributing or picker roller 11 and a so-called blowing roller 13; Bymeans of these rollers 11 and 13 the material is pulverizedin a mannerknown per 86, that is to say it is broken up or disintegrated by theroller 11, and by air issuing through the conducted into one or other ofthe bat chambers f.

In order to prevent the fibrous material from adhering to the drawingrollers 8, '9 strippers 17, 18 are arranged above and below them; inaccordance with the invention,

these strippers are given a hollow or boxlike formation. L e

Owing to the hollow formation of the strippers any knots which "form inthe fiber owing to the friction ofthe fibrous materialagainstthfestrippers .are prevented from reaching-the bat chambers,-asthese knots of hair or burs are in the present case collected: injthestripper boxes from which they can begremoved from time to time. Withthis object ,the lower stripper 18 is provided with an opening 18through which thedust and. any knots that may form can drop out. ...The,upper stripper 17 is pro vided with a tubular socket 17 which canbeipfittedf-to a. compressed air pipe thereby insuring the blowing outof any foreign bodies accumulating in the stripper box 17 '..'-.-F romthe box (2 the broken up fibrous material is drawn into the batchambers,'and.

already stated, the access to these chambBI'SI Of .thematerialto beformed into bats. ispregulated byispecialmechanism s. This mechanism 5can be formed in any-convenient manner without affecting the principleof. theginvention; in the example illustrated in :the drawing,itconsistsof a pivoted flap sisecured to ayshaft 20 which is operated in someconvenient manner (Figs. 1 and 3).

. Anoperating arm 21'is keyed on this shaft and is controlled in amanner hereinafter explained. 1 I

;In accordance with the invention, the reversal' of the operatingmechanism .9 and also the actuation of the auxiliary devices providedinthebatchambers are effected automaticallyzsofithat when the formation ofa bat ,isffinished' in one chamber, the mechanisms "and the auxiliarydevices provided injthe' bat chambers are positively reversed as g'ijsnecessaryfor the bat forming operation in theiadjacent' bat chamberwhichis to be recharged. AThis is effected most simply by coupling theadjusting mechanism of the bat chamber reversing flap 8 and the otherauxiliary apparatus with the opening and closing mechanism for the batchamber doors-r, r by means of suitable rods, chains, cables or thelike. This method of control can be adapted for the novel machine, be-Causeit is well-known that the formation of the bat which takes'place'when the bat chamber door is closed occupies approximately thesame timeas the spraying and the removal of the bat from the chamberwhich; takes place when .the'door is open.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing this special control of the bat chambers is insured by means ofthe following devices: As shown in Figs. 2 and 6, the doors r, r of thebat chambers are formed as sliding or rolling doors and are suspended soas to counterbalance each other on a cable or chain 23. This chain iscarried by two rollers 2 f rotatably mounted on the upright 25.Independently of this chain a second chain or cable 28 (Fig. 5)-theso-called control cable drive-is provided, its path around the batchambers f, f being shown in Figs. 5 and 7. This cable 28 is fixed atone of its ends to the known draft regulating plate 30 of the batchamber f and runs over the rollers 31, 32, 33 through the lug 2 1 ofthe oscillating arm 21 of the flap s and is carried back to theregulating plate 30 of the second bat chamber 7 over the rollers 34, and36. Tappets 40 4:1 and 4-0 4-1 (Fig. 6) are adapted to be adjusted andfixed upon the cable 28 within operative reach of the doors of thechambers: these tappets are operated in a manner hereinafter explainedby the arms 42' and 42 fixed to the doors of the bat chambers. Moreoveron the cable 28 tappets 44 are adapted to be ad justed and fixed withinoperative reach of bers f, f" is connected with a specially.

formed three-way valve w (Figs. 6, 4 and 8) by means of which the accessof the water to the spraying devices a", 2' is controlled.

In the embodiment of the invention here illustrated in Fig. 8 thisthree-way valve consists of two correspondingly formed valve casings 50,connected one with the other by sockets 51. The spraying devices 2'", z'are fitted to the sockets 52; the spraying liquid is supplied throughthe pipe 53. In each of the valve casings, a spindle 54 or 54 isarranged each spindle being provided with two valve plates 55, 57'. Acontrol lever 58, 58" acts upon each of these valve spindles 54 and 54"respectively; these levers oscillate about a common pivot 59. Thesecontrol levers 58 58 are operated in a manner hereinafter explained bytappets 60 and 60 fixed to the doors of the bat chambers, whereby thesupply of spraying liquid can be regulated as desired.

The operation of the apparatus described above is as follows: Assumingthat a bat has already been deposited on the former t aringly, while thebat forming takes place in the chamber 7 the bat previously formed inthe chamber f is sprayed. After the spraying is finished, the bat isremoved from'the former t and at this point thebat forming in thechamber f is finished. At this mo-, ment the bat chamber door 1 israised, whereby the entire apparatus is positively reversed. In thefirst place owing to the upward movement of the door 7 the cable 28 isdisplaced in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 6 by thestriking of the door arm as" against the tappet 40 on the cable.v Thiscauses the cable tappet a l to strike against the arm 21 of the pivotedflap 3, thus positively shifting the latter from the position shown infull lines in Fig. 3 into the position shown in broken lines. By thismeans the bat chamber 7 (Fig. 8) is cut off and the chamber f is thrownin. At the moment the door 1" is raised, the valve spring 56 of thespraying liquid valve 10 presses the valve stem 54 downward (Fig. 8)thereby suddenly cutting off the access of liquid to the spraying deviceOn the de-. scent of the valve stem 54-, the lower valve 57 is openedand the whole of the water that may still be contained in the sprayingplate z" is carried off along the path 52, 57 63.

It will be obvious from Fig. 6, that when the door 1" is drawn upward,the door r is positively lowered, and owing to the descent of the door1", the spraying device z is positively rendered. operative, in the sameway, as when the door 7* is in the closed position, the tappet 60strikes the valve control lever 58. Accordingly, if the bat chamber doorr is raised and the door f lowered, the spraying device 4. cut oft whilesimultaneously reversing the bat chamber mechanism 8 and the sprayingdevice i is rendered operative.

As already stated, the movement of the control cable 28 in the directionindicated by the arrow also controls the regulating plate 30', 30mounted in the bat formers and known per .96, these plates being given aposition corresponding tothe phase of the operation, taking place in therespective bat chambers. When the door r is closed and the door 1* open.the plate 30 is raised and the plate 30 is lowered.

To permit of setting the regulating plate at different heights in thebat former, according to the type of bat, the control cable .28 issecured to a collar 71 adapted to be adjusted and fixed on the stem ofthe plate. This method of fixing the ends of the cable also provides foraltering its tension.

The air is drawn through the bat former in the known manner by means ofan exhauster (Fig. 7) which is connected by pipes 81, 82 (Figs. 6 and 7)to the base 83 of the chambers f, 7. Closing doors 8% are arranged inthe pipe 82 and are adapted to be controlled by means of the handle 85and the rod Sli connected therewith. By means of this device, it ispossible in case of need (during the spraying process for eX- ample) toconnect with one of the chambers the exhauster pipe leading to thischamber.

Above the bat formers t 25 plates (Figs. 3 and 5) with specially formedrecesses 91 are provided to partially cover the bat formers. By suitablyforming these recesses 91, the fibrous material is prevented fromsettling more thickly on the portions of the surface of the former tadjacent to the device supplying the fibrous material than on theportions of the former distant from the supply device.

The controlof the bat chamber operating mechanism, of the chamber doorsand of the other auxiliary devices of the machine can be modified asdesired without departing from the principle of the invention. Similarlythe drive of the conveyer and distributing mechanism can be modified invarious ways. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in thedrawing, the distributing and conveyer mechanisms are driven from themain shaft 93 (Figs. 1 and 7), which is driven by the belt pulley 9%mounted on this shaft. The distributing rollers or picker rollers 3, 1.1are driven through the belt 95 (Figs. 3 and 7). The conveyer bands aredriven by the belt 96 which, through appropriate chain wheel and chaintransmissions, rotates the rollers 97, 98 of the conveyer bands. Theexhauster is driven through the belt 99 as shown Fig. 1; the mechanism100 for rotating the bat formers If, t" which is known per se is driventhrough the belt 101.

While necessitating but slightly more power the apparatus describedabove very largely increases the output of bat forming machines as it ispossible with a reduced staff and in a shorter working time, to pro ducea much larger number of bats than with the known bat forming machinescomprising a single bat chamber.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is:

1. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of juxtaposed batforming chambers, feeding mechanism common to both said chambers, meanscommon to both said chambers whereby either thereof may be cut off fromcommunication with said feeding mechanism, and means for automaticallyoperating said first named means.

2. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of parallel batforming chambers, feeding mechanism adapted to communicate with saidchambers, a gate pivotally mounted between said chambers and adapted toclose communication between either thereof and saidfeeding mechanism,and means for automatically operating said gate. v

8. In a hat forming machine, the combi nation of a pair of parallel batforming chambers, of feeding mechanism therefor, including adistributing roller and a distributing box in which said roller isjournaled, and automatically operating means common to both of saidchambers whereby either thereof may be placed out of communication withsaid feeding mechanism.

4.. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of parallelclosely adjacent bat forming chambers, a recessed plate horizontallypositioned in each chamber and adapted to distribute uniformly thematerial supplied thereto, feeding mechanism communicating with saidchambers and common to both thereof, means common .to both said chamberswhereby either thereof may be cut ofi? from communication with saidfeeding mechanism, and means for automatically operating said last namedmeans.

5. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of closelyadjacent bat forming chambers each provided with a movable door, offeeding mechanism communicating with and common to both said chambers,automatically operating means whereby either of said chambers may be cutout of communication with said feeding mechanism, and connectionsbetween the doors of said chambers whereby the operation of the door ofa chamber in one direction will positively operate the door of theadjacent chamber in an opposite direction, and whereby said means isoperated to out either of said chambers out of communication with saidfeeding mechanism.

6. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of closelyadjacent parallel bat forming chambers, feeding mechanism common to andcommunicating with both of said bat forming chambers, a verticallyslidable door on each bat forming chamber,

means pivoted between said chambers and common to both thereof forcutting either of said chambers out of communication with said feedingmechanism, and a flexible connection between said doors whereby theoperation of one of said doors will operate the other door in a reversedirection and will also operate said means to out either chamber out ofcommunication with said feeding mechanism.

7. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of closelyadjacent parallel bat forming chambers, feeding mechanism common to boththereof and communicating therewith, a gate pivotally mounted betweensaid chambers and automaticallyoperative to out either thereof out ofcommunication with said feeding mechanism, spraying devices in each ofthe bat forming chambers, a sliding door forming a part of each batforming chamber, and means carried by said sliding doors for renderingsaid spraying devices operative and inoperative respectively.

8. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of closelyadjacent parallel bat forming chambers, feeding mechanism common to boththereof and including a pair of feeding rollers, means adjacent saidrollers for removing foreign matter therefrom, a gate nivotally mountedbetween said bat forming chambers and automatically operative to placeeither thereof out of communication with said feeding mechanism, doorsslidably mounted on said bat forming chambers, and means whereby theoperation of said doors causes the automatic operation of saidgate.

9. In a hat forming machine, the combination of a pair of closelyadjacent parallel bat forming chambers; a flexible connection saidchambers and pivotally mounted therebetween, feeding mechanism common toboth said chambers, doors slidable on said bat forming chamber, aflexible connection between said doors, tappets carried by said flexibleconnection, means carried by the doors adapted to contact with saidtappets whereby said doors are alternately operated, and means wherebycertain of said tappets are adapted to actuate said gate.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEF KOLB.

Witnesses 2 ARTHUR MAREK, v AUGUsT FUGGER.

.Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. O.

